


Standing in the Sun

by tententen



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-11
Updated: 2015-02-11
Packaged: 2018-03-11 17:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3332036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tententen/pseuds/tententen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the end of the Fifth Blight, two Grey Wardens find themselves with some time on their hands. A one-shot maybe? I haven't written a fic in like a year, I'm rusty. I apologize.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing in the Sun

She could hear Alistair before she saw him, too focused on the braided flowers in her hands to spare a glance until the warden was falling back onto the grass in front of her. She smiled at him, a brief twitch of her lips at his pleased expression.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"You're _clearly_  doing something."

Saede didn't reply until she finished, raising the crown of flowers for Alistair's appraisal.  "I see," he laughed, turning his head to look up to the sky. Saede set the crown on her head and sucked at her fingertips, stained green from the stems of the flowers she'd picked. "You aren't going to make me one?"

"The dog was supposed to get more."

"Can dogs pick flowers?" Alistair folded his hands over his stomach and turned his head, his eyes scanning over the petite elf where she sat, legs folded and head bowed, turned away from him to pluck at the grass. She looked like an image meant for a wall, completely serene and unbothered. It was a sight he wasn't used to. He'd fallen in love with her bound in metal and covered in blood.

He'd fallen in love with her when the world was gray. Any resemblance of family that Alistair had had been destroyed. Saede had been the last thing resembling the order he had cared so deeply for. Every spare glance and tired smile she had received couldn't have been _for_ her. Not really. Even when he'd told her he loved her, she had had her doubts. As confident as she had been in the alienage, it was just the alienage. The place she had called home for so many years was nothing but trash to the rest of the world. She had risen beyond that now. She'd be a part of history forever - especially if Alistair had anything to say about it. As much as he praised her, she had to wonder if he still felt the same way now that the world was somewhat brighter.

"I like your dress," Alistair drawled. A lazy smile wound its way across his face at the slight twitch of her ears. He'd learned to watch them when he spoke. They gave away much more than her reserved expressions ever could. "Yellow suits you."

They still weren't used to each other. They weren't used to being able to breathe. There was work to be done - villages to repair, an order to restore - but they could have a day, like today. A day where he felt weightless and uncomfortable in nothing but his trousers while his darling looked like the sun. She was glowing, in her slip of a dress. The material fluttered against her with the breeze while her thick black curls barely swayed. This was the woman who owned his heart. Soft and strong. Perfect.

"I like your trousers," Saede murmured belatedly. She bit her tongue at the deep laugh that rose from Alistair's chest. He'd always been the one to stumble over his words, but Saede knew it was mostly because she didn't share hers as often.

"Thank you." Alistair sighed as he sat up. "I feel naked."

"I do, too," Saede confessed "but there are worse feelings." She was silent for a moment before wiggling her fingers at Alistair and pushing up to stand. He twisted to watch her as she wanted away, calling for her Mubari hound. He laid back down once he lost sight of her, turning his attention to the few clouds roaming the otherwise clear sky.

"That one looks like Oghren."

"Which-?" Alistair sputtered and flailed at the flowers she dropped on his face. "How-" he spit and tugged at his lip to remove a blade of grass. "How _dare_ you!"

"My hands slipped."

"Liar," Alistair mumbled, collecting the flowers and squinting as Saede sat, her face lit with amusement. "I should punish you." Saede shrugged, turning to watch as her hound lumbered past, lazily chasing a butterfly fluttering with the wind. When she turned back to face him, he pressed a hard kiss against her mouth. She laughed with surprise, leaning away and yelping when he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his lap to kiss her again, grinning against her lips as she wiggled against him.

"You showed me," she snickered. "I'll never lie to you again."

"You're still lying, aren't you?" He adjusted her crown before humming softly as she took the flowers from him and started to work at the stems. "Are you making one for me?"

"Mmhm."

"Show me how."

Saede obliged, narrating the steps for him to follow with some flowers of his own. He wrinkled his nose at how easily her brown fingers worked to manipulate the plants. "This is elven magic," he swore softly, dropping his ruined attempt at his feet. "My fingers are too big."

"Your fingers are fine, Alistair."

"Maker-" He held his breath as she raised her face to him, her thick brows arched in confusion. The day was perfect. _She_ was perfect. In her dress, with her little crown, and her happy gaze. "I love you," Alistair exhaled. Her ears shifted.

Today, he meant it. The world wasn't hopeless. The world wasn't gray. He could do anything he wanted, and he chose to spend his time with a rebellious girl from an alienage. She'd never been that to him, and she never would be. She'd known he loved her then, when every day felt like a nightmare, but it somehow felt nice to know despite the options he had, every day that was like this, he would love her also. Saede bit her lip, glancing away as she let his words settle before turning her gaze upon him. "I love you too, Alistair." She placed the crown on his head, taking a moment to observe the white and pink petals against his red hair before brushing a chaste kiss against his lips. He smiled back at her, his eyes distant. "What is it?"

"I don't know when we'll have time to do something like this again." Saede shrugged at his observation. They had to get back to reality sooner than later. The only reason they'd wasted the day away was because a kind blacksmith insisted they let him made upgrades to their armor. Neither of them felt like they had as much presence without all the metal, so they'd agreed to take the day off. Alistair had suggested it, but now he looked faintly distressed, his hand bouncing around in his pocket. Saede opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when he took her hand and squeezed it. "Let's..." He stood suddenly. "Let's get married." He took a step forward before halting immediately. "If... If you'd like to, I asked you once - you said yes, you remember." Her ears didn't move. She blinked at him, her large eyes somehow wider, shocked at the audacity that he'd suggest such a thing. "I'm being ridiculous, I-"

Saede's face lit up, an uncontrollable grin overtaking her features. "You actually want to marry me?"

It was a relief to see her so ecstatic over the proposal, but Alistair couldn't help the tiny part of him that was bewildered at how surprised she sounded at the prospect. "Of course I do," he answered firmly, taking her face in his hands and bowing to gaze into her dark eyes. "You'd make me the happiest man in all of Thedas."

"So long as we don't have to do it in the Chantry."

"That's the spirit."


End file.
